Wellington Footbridge on Lachine Canal – Parks Canada will soon begin work required to replace the Wellington Footbridge on Lachine Canal National Historic Site. From mid-August to mid-September, this infrastructure work will require the closing of the Canal path located on the south side of the Peel Basin, between Wellington and Mill streets. During the work, path users are asked to follow a detour via the path on the north side of the Canal, between Wellington Street Bridge to the west and Mill Street Bridge to the east.
Built in the mid-1970s, the Footbridge lets users of the path cross the Wellington Basin, and has now reached the end of its lifespan. Parks Canada determined that a full replacement of the Wellington Footbridge would provide for an estimated life of 75 years, whereas restoration of the existing structure would have extended its useful life by 10 to 15 years only. These improvements will help reduce maintenance costs and ensure sound environmental management of the site, as well as maintain an appropriate level of safety for the many users of the Lachine Canal.
Parks Canada plans infrastructure work by prioritizing the safety of users and workers. We ask everyone to be careful in the area of work, obey the signs in place, and use the suggested detour or other safe alternatives for travel in this area.
Parks Canada is investing an unprecedented $3 billion over five years to support infrastructure work within national historic sites, national parks, and national marine conservation areas. As part of this, nearly $170 million is being invested in the Lachine Canal National Historic Site to upgrade several structural elements of the waterway, and thus enhance the experience of the more than one million people who visit this exceptional site each year.
For more information about ongoing and future work on the Lachine Canal, consult the @LachineCanal social media accounts (Facebook and Twitter) and the webpage entitled Info-Work: Plan Your Commute: parkscanada.gc.ca/lachinecanal-work
